Diagnosis of pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis by HRCT：report of 17 cases

DENG Xue-ying; LIYue-xing; DING Jian-ping; CHEN Xiao-qi; ZHANG Xing-wei

Abstract：Objective To discuss high resolution CT (HRCT ) features of pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis (PLAM ) and to make a futher understanding of this disease .Methods 17 patients with PLAM confirmed by pathological assessment were analyzed retrospectively for chest HRCT findings .They underwent chest high resolution CT (HRCT ) , abdominal type-B ultrasonic .Additional abdominal CT scanning was carried out in 6 cases .Results All the 17 cases were female .Chest high resolution findings included multiple diffuse lung parenchyma cysts in all cases (17/17 ,100% ) ,with some cysts coalesced together to form bullae (2/17 ,11 .8% ) or cause pneumothorax (4/17 ,23 .5% ) .Tow cases had chy-lopleura (2/17 ,11 .8% ) .Common abdominal CT findings included bilateral renal hamartoma in 2 of 17 patients and right renal hamartoma in 1 of 17 patients .One of the 17 patients had uterus hamartoma and tow cases had hepatic hamartoma and three cases had cystic lymphangioma in retroperitoneum .Conclusion If chest high resolution CT findings of child-bearing-age women included sporadic or disseminated multiple diffuse lung parenchyma cysts in bilateral lung , PLAM should be considered .As well as other routine abdominal and pelvic imaging examinations ,common abdominal CT findings showed renal hamartoma or hepatic hamartoma or cystic lymphangioma in retroperitoneum should be an important assistant effect in diagnosis .